Nut-lock.



PATBNTED, SEPT. 29, 1903.

A. W. EDMISTEmn NUT LOOK;

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UN TED -STATES iatented September 29, 1903'.

PATENT 7 OFFICE.

' NUT-LOCK.

srndrricnrroiv formin part of Letters PatentNo. 739,997, dated September 29, 1903. Application filed June 17, 1903. Sfirial No. 161,937. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it knownthat I, ALFRED W. EDMISTON, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Sikeston, in the county of Scott and State of novel details of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In theaccompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my improved device applied. 'Fig. 2'is a vertical transverse section through the same, takenon a line centrally of one of the bolts. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of-the fish-plate which cooperates with the locking member.

Referring to the drawings, 1 1 indicate the meeting ends of a pair of railway-rails, 2 and 3 the fish-plates, which are disposed at opposite sides of the rails, as usual, and i the bolts which attach the fish-plates to the rail and have tapped onto their ends nuts 5.

These parts, with the exception of the fish plate 3, may all be of the usual construction, inasmuch as they form no part of my invention. 1

The fish=plate 3 is in accordance with my invention provided with a longitudinal rib d, which terminates short of one end of the plate, as at 7. The perforations through the plate which receive the attaching-bolts 4: are disposed centrally of the rib 6, and the nuts 5, when. inposition upon the bolts, bear at their inner faces upon the outer face of the rib, by which latter they are spaced slightly from the main face of the fish-plate.

8 designates my improved locking member, which is composed of any suitable metal and is formed in a single piece by casting or otherwise. This member consists of a head 9, carrying a pair of parallel arms 10, which are spaced one from the other'by a central longitudinal opening 11 of a transverse width coincident withthe transverse width of rib 6, whereby the opening will when the-memberisin position receive the rib 6, and the arnis 10 will lie one on either side of the lat-, ter, above andbelow the same. Each arm 10 is of Lshape in cross-scction, thus presenting conjointly a pair of vertically-disposed flanges 12, which engage beneath the nuts 5 and at opposite sides of the rib 6, and a pair of horizontally-disposed flanges 13, which engage, respectively, the upper and lower edges of the nuts, whereby the member will when in position be prevented from escaping trans= versely' of the rail owing to the engagement of its flanges 12 behind the nuts and the nuts will be prevented from turning owing to engagement of horizontal flanges 13 therewith. Thus it will be seen that the member is engaged with the nuts by sliding it longi tudinally to position and when in position is locked against further longitudinal movement to prevent its escape by means of a pin 14, attached to the member by means of a short length of chain 15, said pin being adapted to engage suitable alined perfora tions formed vertically through the flanges 13 and rib 6.

The arms 10 are prevented from spreading relatively at their outer ends by means of a connecting member 16 in the form of an integral metal strap, which extends transversely between them and'is suitably arched outward to permit its free passage over the nuts 5 and to serve for engagement by the hand of the operator in moving the member to and from position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I produce a device of comparatively simple construction which will be efficient in operation, one in which the looking member may be readily engaged with or released from the nuts, and will'when in position effectively prevent turning of the latter. ,In attaining these ends I do not limitmyself to the precise details herein set forth, inasmuch as minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isi I 1. The combination with a railway-rail, of a fish-plate having an integral longitudinal rib, bolts attaching the plate to the rail, nuts tapped onto the bolts and bearing upon the outer face of the rib, a locking member having flanges engaging between the nuts and plate on opposite sides of the rib and flanges engaging the edges of the nuts, said member being adapted for engagement with the nuts by longitudinal movement and means for securing the member against such movement.

2. The combination with a railway-rail, of a fish-plate having an integral longitudinal rib, bolts attaching the plate to the rail, nuts tapped onto the bolts and bearing upon the outer face of the rib, a locking member having vertical flanges engaging between the nuts and plate on opposite sides of the rib and horizontal flanges engaging the edges of the nuts, said member being adapted for engagement with the nuts by longitudinal movement, and a pin carried by the member and engaging through perforations formed in the vertical flanges and rib for locking the member in position.

3. The combination with a railway-rail, of a fish-plate having an integral longitudinal rib, bolts attaching the plate to the rail, nuts tapped onto the bolts and bearing upon the outer face of the rib, a locking member comprising a head and a pair of parallel spaced arms, said arms presenting eonjointly vertical flanges engaging between the nuts and plate on opposite sides of the rib and horizontal flanges engaging the edges of the nuts, an arched transverse strap connecting the outer ends of the arms to prevent relative spreading thereof ,said member being adapted for engagement with the nuts by longitudinal movement, and means for securing the member against such movement.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED \V. EDMISTON. Witnesses:

CALVIN GREEK, WM. ll. STUBBLELILIE. 

